Arnold Shortman and the Temple of Birth
by HAFanForever
Summary: Inspired by a deleted scene from The Jungle Movie, Arnold and the gang reunites with the rest of the class in one of the Green-Eyes' temples, and Arnold learns from his parents that this is the very place where he was born all those years ago! Cover image is "Place of Birth", a commission artwork made for me by Demona-Silverwing on deviantART.


**So I read on the **_**Hey Arnold**_** Wiki page about **_**The Jungle Movie**_** that Craig Bartlett revealed that a scene cut from the film featured the characters reuniting in the very temple Arnold where was born in "The Journal". After reading about this, and a chapter touched up on this in a chapter of "Memories Lost in the Jungle" written by my friend Cre8ivelybankrupt87, I decided to write my own little story of Arnold discovering that the temple is the exact one where he was born over ten years ago, along with the volcano that stopped erupting the moment he was born.**

**So here is my story, borrowing some choice of words from the aforementioned story, which I like to think of as being connected to my deleted scene story "Gift of Gratitude." The title is a nod to **_**Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom**_**.**

**And before I forget, this story is a gift to myself on my birthday today, and so reviews would be very much appreciated, please!**

* * *

In the jungle of San Lorenzo, Arnold, his parents, friends, and Eduardo had finally reunited with the rest of the class, Helga's family, and Arnold's grandparents inside a temple of the Green-Eyed People, with the latter group having come there thanks to the humanitarian group Helpers for Humanity.

Following the major reunions between the Shortman and Pataki families, everyone continued to talk to different people amongst themselves within the large group. While they did, Arnold took the moment to quietly slip out of the temple unnoticed. Once he was outside, he headed down the temple stairs in front of him, then walked over to an opposite end of the temple. Arnold took the moment to absorb the appearance of the temple's entirety, then observed the jungle around him.

As he continued to soak up the magnificence of the scenery before and around him, Arnold developed a feeling of instinct, one that suggested that he had been here before. According to one of the stories from his father's journal, Arnold had been born in this country, and in these very jungles. But before he could think about it further, a voice from behind him interrupted his thoughts.

"Arnold?" the voice of a man called out to him.

At the sound of the voice calling his name, Arnold turned around and saw his parents looking at him. He realized that it had been his father Miles who had called him by name.

"Oh, hi, Mom. Hi, Dad."

"What are you doing out here by yourself, honey?" Stella asked her son.

Rubbing his arm with some awkwardness, Arnold replied, "Oh, I just wanted to take a look at the view of the jungle out here."

"Mind if we join you?" Miles asked.

Arnold smiled. "You don't even have to ask, Dad."

Miles and Stella then walked up to their son, each one flanking Arnold on his sides and taking his hands in their own. "So what do you think of the jungle and San Lorenzo, Arnold?" Stella asked him.

"Well, after my class and I were captured by Lasombra and I escaped his camp, I thought the jungle seemed kind of scary and foreboding at first; I guess because we got away when it was still dark and everything seems scarier at night," Arnold shuddered briefly, remembering how scared he felt after Lasombra revealed himself and his treachery. "But you know, just moments ago, when I came out here and starting taking in the scenery, I got this strange feeling of déjà vu. I feel that there is something so familiar about this place..."

As Arnold took a moment to hesitate, his parents exchanged knowing smiles. Then Miles spoke up, "Yes, there may be cause for that, Arnold." He turned and gestured into the distance ahead of them. "Can you see that mountain over there?"

Since Arnold was still a short man, he could only catch a brief glimpse of what he thought was the top of said mountain. He squinted his eyes, trying to get a good sight. "Sort of. Not that well, though."

So Miles then picked Arnold up and held him in his left arm. As Arnold used one hand to hold his mother's hand, Miles pointed in the direction of the mountain, but more upward since he hoped Arnold had a better view of it. "It's right up there. Can you see it now?"

"Yes, now I see it," Arnold answered. "It looks a lot like...a volcano?" After taking in the sight of the volcano, he gasped, the revelation quickly becoming clearer and clearer to him. "Mom? Dad?"

"Yes, Arnold?" Miles and Stella said together.

"This temple...is it...is this the place where I was born?"

"It is indeed, Arnold," Miles answered while he and Stella smiled widely.

Arnold gasped softly to himself, feeling too much in awe to say anything right then and there. Finally, he said, "Whoa," still feeling wowed over the realization that he had discovered the very location of his birth.

Miles and Stella took notice of their son's reaction and laughed softly, not in a cruel, teasing way, but in amusement at Arnold's reaction upon learning the truth. "It's something, isn't it, Arnold?" Stella asked.

"It is, Mom," Arnold replied. "It really is." After a few moments of silence, Arnold turned his attention away from the volcano and back to his parents. "Getting caught in the eruption must have been a terrifying experience for you guys and Eduardo."

"Oh, it _was_, Arnold," Miles admitted. "It truly was. Your mother and I had managed to escape death several times on our adventures here in San Lorenzo, but I was really terrified that we were goners that time."

"Yes, I agree," Stella spoke up. "But even though it was painful for me to be enduring pregnancy labor during that kind of ordeal, I was determined that we would live and that you would be born."

"And the moment you were born…" Miles said, pausing for a few moments. "Well, it really was the happiest day of our lives."

"Once we took our first glimpse of you, we knew instantly that we loved you so much, and unconditionally," Stella put in. Her face brightened, still remembering the first moment that held Arnold in her arms and kissed his forehead.

"And once we held you, we were hooked."

Arnold smiled widely. "There's just something else I want to know…" Arnold said, though he felt he was saying it more to himself than to his parents.

"What is it, son?" Stella asked him.

"Why did you guys think I was a miracle baby? I mean, I'd think it would just be a strange coincidence that the volcano stopped erupting the moment I was born; I'm not sure if I'd say that _I_ really stopped it. Although the Green-Eyes certainly seem to think differently."

Stella and Miles looked at each knowingly before they shared a smile. Then Miles said to Arnold, "Perhaps it _was_ just a coincidence, son. Believe me, your mom and I never used to be superstitious people, and it sounds like you aren't, either. But the fact that you were born at the same time as such an event, well...we just thought it was a miracle for you to be born at all. And we just couldn't help believe it was a sign that you were destined for great things. Maybe to be some kind of miracle worker or something along those lines."

"Well...then I guess you were right. I've done many good deeds and helped so many people in my city over the years, even to the point of accomplishing things that few people my age could do.

"You have?" Stella asked in awe. Arnold could only nod and smile, and Miles and Stella exchanged glances before turning their attention back to their son. Then Stella added, "Well, seeing as how you used your dad's journal and map to find the Green-Eyes' city and us, and without any adults to help you to do so, I have no trouble believing that, son."

"Hey Arnold, speaking of my journal, you probably know about the vow your mom and I made after you went down the slide on your first birthday."

"Yes, I do, Dad."

Still holding Arnold with his left arm, Miles took his other arm and wrapped both around Arnold as he turned to look his son in the eye. "Well, it may not make much sense after all these years, and it seems like saying it countless times would never be enough, but...we're sorry. We're just so very sorry we left you."

"And we're sorry we couldn't keep our vow," Stella added, and she was now standing side by side with Miles to look at Arnold. "If there was one thing in our lives we could do over, it would be not leaving you and making better plans to help the Green-Eyes.

"I know you are. But they needed your help, and you were the only ones who could help them. I understand that."

"Yes, but...looking back on that day...we shouldn't have left."

"I admit, over the years, I had moments of wondering why you left me. These were on days like the anniversary you left, and on Parents Tournament Weekend at school. On these occasions, I did feel sad and a little angry about it, I guess because I didn't know the whole story. But after I found your journal, Dad, and learned the truth, I understood why you left, I really did. But just as I always believed, you were lost but alive. You're all right, and now we're all together again. That's really all that matters now."

Looking at each other once more, Miles and Stella were now left speechless. They felt so touched that their beloved son has become such a kind, optimistic, understanding, and sympathetic person, the kind of person and son they wanted him to become, even during their ten-year absence. After a few moments of silence, Stella finally said, "Arnold...we just don't know what to say to that. Just from you saying that, we can tell that you're so kind, good, and positive. You really have turned into the kind of person we always hoped you would be. You've already proven yourself a good son and grandson, and now, well, you're a hero to us and the Green-Eyes for rescuing us from the sleeping sickness plight."

"Yep," Miles said. "And you couldn't have made us more proud. It's gonna take time for us to get to know you and for you to know us after all these years...but just so you know, we've always loved you and we still love you very much."

"And that's something that has never changed and is never going to change."

Arnold smiled, then sniffled as he felt his eyes getting a little moist. "I love you, too, Mom and Dad."

"And we can't change the past, but we can look ahead to the future and make you a new promise."

After Miles said "promise," Stella took Arnold's hands in her own while Miles held him from behind. As Stella looked into her son's eyes, she said, "And we promise, we'll never leave you behind again."

Arnold's face brightened at hearing those last few words. "You really mean that?"

"We do. We love San Lorenzo, and we hope you will learn to love it, too.

Oh, I want to, I really do. I mean, this country is where I was born and you guys have an important past here, so I want San Lorenzo to be an important place to me as it has been to both of you. Can we come back here together and even visit the Green-Eyes?

"Absolutely, Arnold. You're an important person to them now, and they trust you as much as they trust us."

"But now we're coming home with you, and we're going to stay for good."

Wordlessly, Arnold threw his arms around his mother's neck and held her in a tight hug. Stella reciprocated the hug, and Miles wrapped his arms around his wife and son. As the Shortman family stood there wrapped in each others' embrace, Arnold silently thought about everything that happened to him over the past several days. He still couldn't believe that he had managed to find his parents alive like he always believed. After nearly ten years of not having his parents in his life and not remembering them much at all, his greatest wish had come true. Now he wanted to hold on to them and never let them out of his sight again.


End file.
